AIBU to be sad and shocked by this article?

[LittleDorrit]

Have just been reading this:

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/18/child-poverty-labour-eradicate-promise

and I am shocked by the conditions this family is living in, but in particular how little/what sort of food they are able to afford.

It's not so much an AIBU issue, but just wondered whether others in similarly difficult circumstances think this is typical, or whether the mother could try to buy other types of food (e.g. rice, lentils, etc.) or perhaps be able to afford to spend a bigger proportion of her budget on food... £20 is very little.

SENSESofTOUCH I agree. And I am glad for one reason I live in this country for the benefit reason. And like you, I wish to get off the Benefits Asap as we both love to work, just cant get another job! I am blesses to have the family I do and the fact we are still altogether but at the mo, id be grateful for the job in the warehouse. It sisnt do my Great nan harm shes still going strong (touch wood) at 98!

really surprised that anyone can be other than sad at this poor woman's life. She's hasn't had the opportunity of a good education, doesn't have access to a car or computer, can't afford fares to cheaper shops - and a limited diet doesn't exactly leave you full of energy, try it for a while! She's doing very well with the cards she's been dealt.

I don't realy see as "poor" people who have food, water, clothes, a home to live in, eduction for their children. They are poorer than most people in this country.

Best ways of helping are things like Home Start, CAB, helping kids read at school.

oh right faq....

didn't realise ou was free when on benefits....something to keep in mind....more in a future professional kinda way....

i would love to get off benefits that's why i have gone back to college to train to be a nurse, btw i am only a young mum - 20 and i manage to do all of that with my money and i do feel sorry for her, not because she is 'poor' because i am worse off than her but becasue she hasn't done some thing about it yet - dont blame lack of education at school age, no car - i dont have 1. no computer the library provide access. she can go to home start and get a buddy who may be able to help with sorting these things out for her.
but it sickens me when you read 1 article in the paper and think that is the whole story, she gets nearly £200 a week in benefits not the £130 the paper said. there are many mums out there in the same situation who are making better of the circumstances.

Why hasnt she gone to CAB is the Q? What happened to her healthy start vouchers for milk and fruit?
She can get help with Elec and Gas from CAB. She has her rent paid.
She has her Council Tax paid.

There are ways in which organisations can help, but you have to get up off your arse to ask them for the help. They dont come to you.

errm ezmi she IS doing something about it if ou read the article - she's impriving her literacy and doing a computing course at her local community centre.

And Yes emzi I am a young mom too. 21 now, but 19 when I fell preggers with dd. I had a fantastic job paid v.well! just a shame they couldnt keep me due to recession.

The library comment I was just gonna make and you stole the words out of my mouth.

She can ven read books and teach herself about a profession shed like to do. She has free nursery place for her DD's so why cant she work?

she may not yet get her free nursery place if her youngest turned 3 this "term" - and it's only 12,5hrs she gets free.

I HAVE READ THE ARTICLE... but hse can be doing more than what she is to improve her situation i agree with CHELLESGIRL, she has all of that on her side and is still not in a better position finacially. there is more to it than just improving literacy/computer skills. she has a range of help at her fingertips, she pays no rent no c/tax no childcare costs like cgirl said where are her milk tokens??? that is £3 a week for milk/fruit/veg call home heat they will be able to help with utilities. how do you think i know this, i could have been her and not got the help or found out and been able to use the help and move forward in my life.

well how exactly is she going read these books, and do these extra courses, or even find a job with her current literacy skills?

Literacy skills means improving reading and writing skills.

Why can't she get a job - well why don' you go and get a job? Why don't I go and get a job - because as well all know as single parents on benefits getting a job with pre-school age children is a lot harder in reality than it is on paper.

ezmi - but you obviously had a reasonably decent education, and came out of school with something to show for it - otherwise you wouldn't be able to do you access course now - you wouldn't have been able to manage it.

chellesgirl... we have been there done that and i know that i could never be in her situation no matter how bad things got. there is so much help available and easily assessible and about the no bus fare jobcentre will reminburse it if it is to do with progression and training etc so there is no reason why she couldn't get in town and go library etc. FAQ you seem to be defending this lady very much but it takes more than just reading a newspaper to know what it is like.

I think chelle and ezmi are ignoring a vital point...that not everyone finds it easy to selfmotivate...and it is not about lazyness or drive, even....it is just some people are all get up and go and others need a bigger nutch....
it's, imo, something very intrinsic....

take myself as a , crappy, example...I do well on timelines...I get stressed, but am a person that obeys set rules....i.e. fine getting to appointments, fine getting kids where they need to, prepred as they should be, I am fine within a worksetting and am a do-er....take me out of "routine", weekend bad enough and holidays worse...and I will go downhill...and whilst I know this will happen and I try to fight it, try to be pro-active...it ain't happening...

your personality within has sooo much to do with all of this...and, that is something you are born with....so, no readon to pat oneselves on ones back, tbh...

I would love free childcare!

No. FAQinglovely she has got free childcare. She can even get full time free childcare if her HV will refer her.

My friend gets to put her kid in a nursery (her dd is 1) for free for however long she likes. (HV even said to put her in full time) as mum was worn out.

access courses are for mature students that have little or no prior education actually so it does not matter what i left school with!

chelle...that is only possible if you are known to be a problem family/mental health issues...etc...not that easy to get....

Why dont she get a cleaning job. No need to read there. And before you say it.. there no cleaning jobs in my area atm.

lol chelle.. i agree and if it is under 16 hours she will still be able to claim all her benefits aswel.

but if she's working the childcare won't be free - and the free hours she will get for her 3yr old won't be enough for her not to have to top up from her wages.

And what do you mean by

"but it takes more than just reading a newspaper to know what it is like. "

no shit sherlock - true I don't know what it's like to have been brought up in an area like where she lives, in a family already in the cycle of poverty, with no education - but I do know what it's like living on benefits with young children.

no she won't get all her benefits if it's under 16hrs a week, her IS will be reduced accordingly.

She'll have to pay for her childcare, but will get no help with it (as she won't be working enough hours to get WTC).

if she is working she will get childcare covered by WTC!

thank you SSS. my sister in law works less than 16 hrs and gets nursery paid for for the time she is working. and if she doesnt get her benefits she could work full time then and probably work out better for her.

and what do you mean no need to read there??

well yes I suppse if it's a crappy employer who doesn't give a shit about making sure their employees have got the relevant H&S knowledge and COSHH knowledge - then no she wouldn't need to be able to read.

if she is working under 16hrs a week she will NOT get WTC, the child care element is only given if you are in receipt of WTC.